A Contest of Nisse and Release

Series Finale

The group sat in waiting for the Dragon-Blooded army to arrive. Hours passed and the army began to move past the apartment complex trap. The Gold Faction ringers stopped the march to report that an outpost had been discovered and that very rare libations were found inside. Ragara Camasto was directed to search the tower with his troupe and see if it was a trap by Mnemon Tochpoko. He and his men who were also gold faction members searched and when they reached the level where the group lay in wait they told them of the plan. Vashtim, Atash and Tendai waited in the apartments above while White Dove lay in wait in a garden outside of the kitchen dressed as a servant. Her plan was to poison the officers with a concoction that was created by Tendai. It would not kill them but would make them sluggish. Vashitim had Tendai score the stone floor so that he could bust through at the right moment. Tendai and Atash would swing down at the right moment.

Ragara Camasto continued his “search” of the building and then returned to Mnemon Tochpoko. She summoned the other officers and the army settled down for the night. The servants entered first and cleaned the apartment and prepared food. The officers followed a few hours later.

White Dove kept a close eye on the proceedings and when the Dragon-Blooded had finished their 5 course meal they began to consume the Tears of Pasiap. They overheard talk of the Realm and of another mysterious director of the Wyld Hunt called, Vakra The Hidden Knife. White Dove waited until they were into their third bottle when she snuck out of hiding as a servant and blended in. She put the poison at the bottom of their glasses. The servants did not notice as they had been leaving as most of the chores were done. White Dove served the poisoned drinks and then went out on the balcony to signal the others.

Atash crashed through the front window and attacked Sesus Chenow which activated his combo with his essence whip, Demon’s Tounge. The two exchanged blows until all at once they both dropped to the ground, dead. Vashtim broke through the floor with one chop and landed in the middle of the table. The Dragon-Blooded pitched backwards in their chairs landing on their backs on the floor. Vashtim pointed at them and told them to surrender. The groggy, officers of the Wyld Hunt sneered at him. Tendai swung in through the window and attacked Mnemon Tochpoko which set off her combo. Her attacks rang out with sleet, wind and ice as she reduced him to a heap on the ground. White Dove attacked with her Celestial Chakram. Atash sat back up with a gasp as her Gem of Adamant Skin restored her to life. Vashtim and White Dove attacked but with some caution. This continued and Atash attacked Tepet Moza with her combo and he was decapitated while running Atash through with Silent Vengeance. Atash dropped to the floor dead, again. White Dove and Vashtim continued to spar with Mnemon Tochpoko, Tepet Yumi and Cathak Nyma. Vashtim continued his attack on Mnemon Tochpoko the next turn and Atash sat up for a second time. Atash immediately attacked Tepet Yumi with her combo and killed her. White Dove popped around the corner and threw her chakram one final time striking Cathak Nyma, killing her and then the chakram bounced to Mnemon Tochpoko and lodged into her forehead bringing the Wyld Hunt to an end.

The group recovered for an hour then went out onto the balcony overlooking the army and addressed them. Vashtim ignited his anima of a phoenix when he told them that they were able to be part of a new age of wonder and peace through their leadership. White Dove’s anima of ravens took flight as she informed them that they have been lied to for a thousand years by the current, corrupt leaders of the Realm. Tendai and Atash both ignited their animas, an image of Ninla, Master of Ore and Diamond and a Kraken exploded out of them and they backed up their friend’s speech. (36 total successes) One by one the soldiers both mortal and Dragon-Blooded alike laid down their arms and surrendered to the circle.

The camera view pulls back to a street filled with an army surrendering to an overhead view of Nathir. The camera view pulls further back to show Nathir sitting on the confluence of two rivers, the Maruto and the Yellow. The view continues to pull back to show the East of Creation then further back to reveal all of Creation.

A small set of feet walk down an abandoned street. They eventually get to a gate that easily opens onto a graveyard surrounding a large church built of black basalt. The small feet continue down the path until it ends at the door to the The Black Warrens. The door made of wood with images of tortured humans swings open silently. Inside the place of worship is lit by stained glass images of death and destruction that slowly move on the black polished floor. The sickly yellow illumination reveals a large statue in the middle of the altar is an image of a human figure in a leather floor length skirt. The arms of the figure are covered in straps of leather. Above the bare chested image is a head covered by a large spider that is clutching it’s face. The spider is penetrated by two spikes that continue into the eye sockets of the being. The small boy looks at it, unmoved. A voice speaks out from a dark shrine nearby.
“Does he scare you?” the voice says. The small boy’s head slowly shakes, no. “Well he scares me.” The voice whispers as the figure of Bedre steps from the darkness of the shrine. “He is death, incarnate, you know.” The boy looks up at the image, unafraid. Bedre holds out his hand to the boy. “I have such sights to show you.” He says to the boy and the two hold hands. They begin to walk into the dark shrine. Bedre disappears into the darkness and the small boy turns to look upon Creation outside the doors one last time. Reyny smiles and turns to follow Bedre into the darkness.

Be it known that four days have passed. White Dove and Tendai worked hard creating combos. On the fourth day, White Dove performed the ritual to release the essence of Shiga/Anden from the Crystal Cage. It worked and the exaltation poured into Idel. She exploded with essence and the image of a large bull filled up the The Eternal Fortress. She promptly passed out. Reyny has been missing for several weeks now.

Tendai discovered the antidote for the poison that was put into the water supply and treated the water by directly introducing the cure into the water tanks in the bowels of the manse that Vashtim located.

Atash watched over the city with the help of Buandu. They noticed that the Wyld Hunt has constructed a bridge made of stone that connects up to the inner ring of Nathir. The only thing that lies between the Wyld Hunt and the city is a wall of tin.

The circle was counselled by Camasto and the best option would be to get the arrogant and proud Dragon-Blooded to celebrate a significant victory which would get them all in one place with the suggestions of the Gold Faction members within their ranks.

It was decided that White Dove would travel to Nexus via the gateways and find some irresistible drink and food that can only be found on the Blessed Isle. She found a nice shop ran by Tsuki Ajin. The overweight merchant was doubtful of her ability to purchase some of his finer things when she had one of her servants produce a brick of green jade. He took her upstairs and after a little digging he opened a case of an aperitif called the Tears of Pasiap (Elemental Dragon of Earth). The Mountain Folk that reside in the Imperial Mountain have an artifact distillery that they use to transform the tears of the Elemental Dragon, Pasiap who is bound under the mountain, into the very potent and rare, clear blue liquid. A case of 6 small decanters cost her one brick of green jade. She also purchased some fresh game and fowl found on the Blessed Isle.

Tendai and Atash searched the inner circle for a building that they could use as a trap for the Wyld Hunt. They found a single spire condos that had a good over look to the outer ring. Tendai began to forge attack plans and troop movements in order to make the place look like a forward operating base. Complete with repair plans for the final drawbridge that is stuck open.

Vashtim was sitting on the throne when he heard a small metal clanking in the chair. Upon closer inspection he discovered that the motif in the back of the chair that looked like a image of the sun engraved was in fact a separate piece of jewelry. He looked up the chair in his book of the Manse and discovered that it was The Ring of the Deliberative artifact.

Vashtim poured his essence into the city defenses to charge them up faster.

Atash spoke with Bedre about his plans for the city now that the Fair Folk have been routed. He stated that they want to continue trading with the land of the living. They agreed to pull back all forces into the shadowland as a sign of good faith.

On her way back she ran into Ragara Camasto who informed her of a small stealthy group of Dragon-Blooded that were operating in the inner circle of Nathir. The were tunneling into the manse.

The group investigated and discovered a hole in the side of the wall. They followed it down to discover that the Dragon-Blooded strike force had attached a device to some pipes. The fight was quick and deadly. The Dragon-Blooded leader managed to inject a substance into the water pipe before he killed himself by causing a cave in.

The group escaped with the container that held a small portion of the poison.

Tendai Haraki prepped the airship for take off. While the rest of the group spoke with the city leaders and calmed them down and told them that they were going to go to the Fair Folk with the intention of stopping the siege of Nathir.

The group boarded the large vessel and launched. As they soared over the city they saw the destruction that was being dealt to the outer circle by the Foster. The closer the ship sailed to the enemy they noticed the landscape change because of the influence of the Fair Folk. Abnormal flora and fauna grew increasingly more visible with the quick approach.

While Vashtim was walking the ship he heard some clinking noises and upon investigating he found Kioki Mayako was making tea. He asked her what she was doing on board and she told him that she wanted to see things in person. She also came with a warning, “The madness is red and full of hate. They cannot see through.”“The cage holds more than one. The cycle will be broken”
Vashtim sighed and went above to tell the others. Kioki followed and delivered the message to the rest. The group also discussed the motives of Shiga in regards to the Fair Folk. Kioki informed them that the Fair Folk had demanded tribute from the populace of Nathir for the last 700 years. After Shiga returned to the city as an Exalt he immediately went out and confronted Erel Dharne. Kioki cannot attest to what transpired or what lead to Shiga attacking Erel. Kioki then handed Vashtim a cold iron dagger wrapped in cloth. He had White Dove hide it in his greaves.

The group decided to change the plan and use a more aggressive approach to the Fair Folk siege with the new information given to them.

They would trap the leaders of the Fair Folk in the cage forever.

When they arrived White Dove announced they come to deliver the essence of Shiga as a peace offering. All the while Kioki brought up a table and chairs to set up tea and cookies. White Dove partook of the refreshments after her twenty minute speech.

The group entered the Growing Flower and were met by Cura. The group was lead into the throne room where they ran into a departing delegation from the Wyld Hunt. A woman leading the group was Mnemon Tochpoko, the leader of the Eastern Division. White Dove and Vashtim recognized one of the members leaving was Tepet Yumi, Zaiku, The Sword Without a Master’s spurned fiance. They made no mention of it to the others as they were afraid that Atash Baixe would attack her and spoil the surprise.

The group approached the throne with Lesoj Ssambrae sitting unmovable. The group was aware that there were twenty Fair Folk Caraphract standing guard. The gallery was filled with visiting diplomats from other courts across Creation.

White Dove began a speech of greetings, compliments and oaths fulfilled by the capture of Shiga in the Crystal Cage. During her presentation Erel crept from behind the back of the throne to see the crystal cage. Upon finishing her parlay, bowing slightly. Vashtim launched himself over her and attacked Lesoj with Flying Silver Dream. He drove the blade into his shoulder and into his chest mortally wounding him with one blow. Atash activated her combo, ____________ and launched into Erel with her full kraken anima writhing out over all the gathered crowd. In a blur of steel, fury and essence she cut the Fair Folk diplomat until she imploded. The orbs of essence left behind were instantly sucked into the crystal cage. Tendai attacked two nearby caraphract guards with his Serpent Sting Staff. Vashtim continued with his second attack by bringing the cold iron dagger up and into the face of the slumping forward body of Lesoj. The blade went through his mouth and into his head causing him to implode into essence that was immediately sucked into the crystal cage. Tendai finished out his attacks on the warriors wounding one significantly.

In one sweeping motion, White Dove finished her bow, activated her anima of ravens swirling around her, stood up and turned in front of the throne to address the gathered Fair Folk as Vashtim dislodged his cold iron dagger out of the back of the throne itself. White Dove threatened the same fate would happen to any Fair Folk who continued the attack on Nathir. They were all told to leave and not return for the next 4000 years. (Scoring 22 successes on this threat)

As she finished her commination, the crystal structure began to fracture and sparkles of crystal descended upon the gathered. The Fair Folk fled the structure. The group slowly walked out of the Growing Flower as it collapsed behind them and boarded their airship to return to Nathir. The ship took to the skies and Kioki was delighted to witness the rescue of Nathir in person. The army of the Fair Folk began routing into the East. The rubble of the Growing Flower exploded as the pent up essence from the level 5 Demense was released wiping away the effects of the Fair Folk corruption.

The ship sailed over the city and landed back in the docking bay. When they arrived on the main level of the The Eternal Fortress a good portion of the citizens were waiting and cheering them on. A grand feast was being prepared. Vashtim was told that 3000 troops are ready to command by Magnus.

White Dove was approached by Idel and she asked if Shiga was still inside the crystal cage. White Dove told her yes and Idel asked if he could be released. White Dove told her she would research it.

Vashtim suddenly became aware that he had not seen Reyny in several weeks.

Vashtim dismounted the warstrider and landed on top of one of the many Fair Folk behemoths called Fosters. Atash landed on the ground and forced the creature to focus all of it’s raging frenzy on her.

The battles raged on while Shiga Shiro in his warstrider battled against several Fosters. His reckless fighting eventually took its toll and his warstrider was badly damaged.

The group dispached their opponents and then raced up to Shiga. Tendai ripped the covering off of Shiga’s warstrider, exposing him. Vashtim used his Fair Folk Dagger and mortally wounded Shiga. White Dove made the killing blow with one of her arrows that she fired from her warstrider. Shiga’s head exploded. Vashtim held the Crystal Cage near Shiga and it absorbed his essence.

Group took the crystal cage and headed back to Nathir. Behemoths began to take off toward Nathir. Vashtim decided to talk to a Fair Folk warrior. He called for reinforcements. Vashtim and the party decided to jump on one of the Dinsele and ride it to the city to avoid being killed.

Vashtim was stabbed in the back by the warrior with a large dagger.

Once over the city the other Dinsele began to dive bomb into buildings. Vashtim tried to punch the large creature into landing with little effect. He decided to use the gossamer dagger to damage the wing of the Dinsele. The dagger cut through the armor of the creature as if it didn’t have any. The Dinsele began to drop out of the sky and eventually through the city buildings. Vashtim stabbed the creature in the head and it died. In the air. With everyone riding on the creature. The servants were grabbed by Vashtim and he lept off. The servants were tossed onto the rooftop of a passing building. One servant landed in a pool garden and the other was impaled on a statue. Vashtim caught a clothesline and struck a building. Atash began to leap off the Dinsele when she noticed White Dove not moving. Atash grabbed her and lept off the creature.

White Dove and her servant decided to head back to the Manse while Atash and Vashtim headed to the outer wall. To stop Shiga and put his soul in a crystal cage for all eternity.

Tendai used the manse defenses to stop the Dinsele with a series of solar reflectors to burn them up.

White Dove arrived in the manse where she and Tendai decided to get in the two remaining Warstriders to go out and kill Shiga.

Vashtim and Atash pass by Bedre where they witness another deathknight with a formidable force.

Vashtim, Atash, Tendai and White Dove all arrive to the scene to find the wall torn open and Shiga fighting a group of Foster.

Emissary

The group woke up to a grand breakfast. White Dove was almost all the way healed. Atash returned from her overnight stay with Bedre.

The group packed up to go visit the leader of the Fair Folk army. White Dove decided to bring two of her handmaidens with her. Tendai decided to stay behind and work on a new weapon.

White Dove made an announcement to the Fair Folk army through the PA system in the manse. She told the opposing forces that she would be traveling to the crystal keep to speak with Lesoj in person and that none of her entourage would attack or engage their forces. She sealed it with her anima. The group set out.

They passed through the outer ring of the city and found an army of the dead standing at attention. As they passed by the front of The Black Warrens, Bedre stood at the entrance in his full deathknight garb. He bowed slightly to Atash as the group passed.

Once they made it to the Bronze Wall of the city they saw that the Fair Folk forces had stopped attacking. The outer doors opened and the group walked outside to witness the full spectacle of the Fair Folk army at full attention. Behemoths stood still and unmoving. Throngs of warriors in glittering, iridescent pearl and gold armor waited motionless in formations as the group walked out of the city. The two servants that White Dove brought with her began to panic. Vashtim turned and promised to protect them at all costs. They calmed down and everyone began the long walk to the crystal keep.

Meanwhile, back at The Eternal Fortress, Tendai began planning and designing a weapon that can target forces at a great distance. Furiously he began making sketches. Over the course of several hours he remembered seeing a note about an airship that was used in the First Age. He looked into the manuals of the manse and found out that there are four massive airships in storage within the manse. He took off to discover if they were still intact.

After half a day’s journey the group found themselves traveling over barren mud and dirt until the landscape began to change. The mud began to look like cake icing or lava rolls. Grass began to be seen but it was razor sharp and dangerous. The sky even began to look strange as the color shifted. The Growing Flower slowly came into view and a strange cracking and humming was heard. Eventually the forces surrounding the structure were around them. Strange birthing areas disgorged baby behemoths in frightening numbers. Atash spotted human slave camps off in the distance. The closer they group got to the castle they noticed that the cracking and humming was coming from the structure as it was growing.

Great crystal doors opened and a strange creature bowed to them and welcomed them to the Growing Flower. Cura led them into the inner chambers and finally the throne room. Many strange creatures stood around. Most looked like some sort of forest fauna or flower but near the giant throne stood two galleries of humanoids that represented other courts from all over creation. Some looked like crystal and fire while others looked like snow and seaweed. All were silent as Cura bowed away from the group.

White Dove announced their presence along with everyone’s title and the reason for the visit. It was received well by Lesoj who remained seated on his crystal throne. When she was finished he announced himself and his full title to them. White Dove began to ask questions of him and his reason for attacking Nathir. He told the group that his sister, Erel was attacked by Shiga and driven off. He wants the city leveled along with every structure in 100 leagues of the Growing Flower so that no mortal or otherwise will be able to harm his sister or their area again. White Dove used several charms to discover that he was telling the truth and that his most prized possession in his reality was his sister. White Dove asked about her and Erel moved from behind the large crystal throne to introduce herself in a whisper of a voice. She presented the group with a small crystal cage that she wished to hold Shiga in for eternity. Vashtim mentioned that he would not fit and she went into a rage. She screamed that she would hold his essence in the device and her voice shattered many crystal structures inside the throne room.

Back in Nathir, Tendai discovered his four airships and a handful of the mercenaries that were lost beneath the manse. He decided to open up one of the launch bays to see if they still worked.

Upon opening one up and looking out over the city he saw one of the Royal Warstriders leaping over the bronze wall and pull out a large sword.

Tendai examined the corpse of one of the Fair Folk behemoths. His attention was drawn to the sky where he saw Lesoj flying above the canal dropping crystals into the water. Moments later new ground was bursting out of the water, creating bridges to the wall of bronze.

Tendai also saw a new class of behemoth arrive and use the land bridges to get up close to the bronze walls. The Foster is a creature that he recognized from many books. They are terrible beasts of armor and rage that can level most things in their path.

The White Dove, Tendai and Botai’s entourage has arrived in the center manse. Botai has accepted living in the center of the city and has taken one of the smaller manses for her own. She opened it like she was returning home.

While Vashtim was discovering his manses defenses he was looking over the city through telescopes and found a large group of individuals in the outer ring and a flag flying in a courtyard. He decided to investigate. Shiga and Atash went with him.

On the way they saw a more and more corpses in the street. Upon closer inspection Vashtim became aware that the person he was addressing was a corpse. He pulled the zombie’s head off. This set off Shiga and Atash to attack several of the zombies. After several minutes and about 20 corpses Vashtim realized that the zombies were not reacting to them. Vashtim marched towards the flag.

The group came upon a Mortuary made of black basalt and surrounded by a huge graveyard. Upon passing into the graveyard they noticed that there were now many spectral beings standing around keeping the zombies at bay. Vashtim addressed the ghosts. The group had passed into a Shadowland. They only responded that they were told to let them pass into the building.

The group went inside and found a large group of people sitting in a pile of pillows. Most were dressed in little to nothing. As they approached a tall man with a burnt mask stood up and opened up his arms. Everyone stood still. The man finally took down his mask and revealed that it was Bedre.

Atash and Bedre embraced each other. He explained why he was in the city. He explained that he was trying to make a small holding in the city to open trade with creation in the name of the Blinded Spider. His lord has asked him to help the city in return for a quarter of the outer ring for their own.

Vashtim and Shiga returned to the manse while Atash stayed behind to see the city in the underworld.

White Dove and Tendai listened to Bedre’s offer. They decided to call Botai to court and speak with her. She arrived and she spoke to them of Lesoj. She seemed to skirt any questions about how long she had been in Nathir. She had previous dealings with Lesoj but now she says that he is more likely to fits of rage. White Dove moves the conversation to Naka and her training for dance. Botai told that she had been her best student and they had spent much time training. White Dove then went onto tell Botai about Naka’s last few days, Gumela and the slave ring. Botai told them that if the Fair Folk had been feeding off the corrupted slaves it might explain the madness or anger that has over taken the. She also mentioned that she has not seen Lesoj’s sister in a while, Erel. White Dove monitored Botai’s language to find out what she was. She was going to do some research at her library. Botai asked about Zaiku and after being told that he was missing she began to ask strange questions about him. She told them that she cannot see him but that the Wyld Hunt has stopped chasing him because they are heading to Nathir. They will arrive in a four days.

The group had decided that the next course of action was to speak to the Fair Folk.

Atash drew her Orichalcum Reaper Daiklaives and began to whirl around like a tornado that tore through the flock.

White Dove received the brunt of the attack and was badly wounded by the creatures.

When the last few were dispatched the group looked up to see a figure riding a great beast, Gagana. It was Lesoj Ssambrae and he was full of furious rage at the defeat of his behemoths. He pointed his crystal spear at the group and called out “Woman, you have plagued me for centuries. I will see you destroyed!”. He then pulled out a small flute and blew it. Moments later large insects began to fly up over the walls and dive bomb the city. The curled up into a ball and crashed through buildings.

Vashtim tried to get Botai to move into his manse but botched his roll so Botai said they would prepare but would not leave immediately. He told her that she would be destroyed when he activated the city defenses. White Dove remembered that there was essence cannon defenses that were specifically for Ariel attacks. They would be fine.

White Dove and Tendai stayed at the House of Ten Flowers so White Dove could heal. Atash and Vashtim bolted back to the manse to turn on the defenses.

On the way they encountered one of the Dinsele that were attacking the city. Vashitm rushed it and the creature swallowed him in it’s maw. Atash used her combo and turned the creature into a fine mist. Vashtim emerged covered in goo.

As the two continued onto the manse one of the Dinsele crashed through the outer walls of the city and it fell into the canal. The city has been breached.

Atash and Vashtim made it back and went to the throne room where they found the alcove with the weapon. Vashtim sat down and activated it. The system seemed to do all the work as statues around the city emitted bolts of essence that destroyed all of the creatures over the next several hours.